Electroplating machine



1931- c. H. JORDING ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Fild Sept.

27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l abkowq Feb. 24, 1931.

C. H. JORDING ELECTROPLATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHRISTIAN H. JORD-ING, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE JOHN W. BROWN MFG. COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO ELECTROPLATING MAGHIN E Application filed September 27, 1929. Serial No.- 395,700.

This invention relates to improvements in electro-plating machlnes and has partlcular reference to machines of this character where 1n the articles undergoing the process of electro-plating are supported by an endless chain or carrier which, during the operation of the machine, is constantly in motion. whereby through the continuous operation of the machine relatively large quantities of articles may be rapidly and effectively processed in a labor saving and economic manner.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of an electro-plating machine provided with a'constantly driven endless carrier in the form of a belt or chain so arranged that its going and return runs occupy the same vertical plane and wherein the carrier is provided with removable holders adapted for the reception of the articles to be electro- 2 plated and whereby through the operation of the carrier the articles contained within said holder are first submerged in an electrolyte and moved constantly through said electrolyte for a period of time necessary to secure a desired latin or electrolytic action and, secondly, ollowmg the removal from said electrolyte are passed through a cleansing bath where the electrolytic solution is removed from said articles to permit the latter 3 to be removed from the carrier and admit of their safe handling by a machine operator.

Another object of the invention rests in connectingv with the endless carrier or belt a plurality of spaced brackets which form a unitary part of the belt and move in unison therewith and wherein the outer ends of said brackets are formed for the removable reception of article-receiving holders which may be applied to or removed from said brackets while the belt is-in motion in order to avoid interference with the continuous operation of the machine while articles are being applied to or removed from the carrier.

It is another object of the invention to provide yieldable means for positively maintaining the holder supporting arms or brackets in engagement with stationary current conveying rods during the' time the articles undergoing electro-plating are passing through the electrolytic solution contained in a suitable tank, this being done in order to provide for uninterrupted current flow between-the anode and cathode terminals and to secure uniformplating of each of the articles handled by the machine.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an article supporting holder which consists of a center body portion socketed so as to be removably received upon the brackets of the endless carrier and wherein said body portion is formed to comprise a plurality of resilient relatively separable' clamping fingers; between which the articles to be electro-plated are resiliently clamped in relatively spaced relationship, the construction of the fingers being such that while they positively grip said articles to retain the latter against accidental displacement yet the fingers are sufficiently open to permit of the flow of the electrolyte around all portions of said articles so that the latter may be plated with a desired metal, such as chromium, to a uniform degree around all sides, walls or surfaces thereof.

A still further object of the invention rests in forming the holders so that they may receive a plurality of said articles and to permit of articles to be inserted in the holders prior to the application of the latter to the traveling carrier to the end that small devices or articles, such as rivets, machine pins and the like may be efl'ectivelyelectro-plated .with a material such as chromium by a rapid and continuous operation which is made possible' by simultaneously'applyingto and removing from the constantly movlng carrier groups of said articles.

For a more detailed understanding of the present'invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an electro-plating machine constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on-an enlarged scale taken through the machine on a plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2,

one of the article supporting fingers detached from the body of the holder, and

- Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the rivets or pins adapted to be retained within the clamping fingers of the holder.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the improved eleetro-plating machine comprising the pres ent invention in its entirety. In the particular embodiment of the machine selected for Y illustration and hereinafter specifically deconsist of hot water.

scribed, but which it will be understood is merely one form of several alternative structures, there is provided a frame structure 2. The latter is formed in this instance to include a plurality of vertical angle. bars 3, which have their upper ends connected by longitudinally extending horizontally disposed bars 4.

Suitably mounted uponthe bars 4 contiguous to one end of the frame structure is an electrical motor 5 which drives a speed reducing gear train 6 by the use of which a driven shaft 7 mounted in'bearings 8 on the bars 4 is positively rotated at a greatly reduced speed as compared with the speed of rotation of the armature shaft of the 'motor 5. The shaft 7 is equipped with a sprocket 9 around which is trained a belt or chain 10 which comp-rises an endless carrier and in this instance the carrier is formed by the usual positively connected chain links. The opposite end of the frame structure as regards the shaft 7 is also provided with a loosely mounted guide sprocket 11 around which the chain 10 is trained. I In addition, the frame structure is provided with a pair of horizontally extending bars 12 which are arranged below but in parallel relationship with the bars 4. The bars 12 are arranged above a tank 13 which rests on a suitable base 14 and over a separate rinsing tank 15. The tank 13 is adapted to contain an electrolyte such as chromium solution, while the tank 15 preferably contains a washing or neutralizing solution which for practical purposes may The bars 12, above the tanks 13 and 15, are provided with bearings for the reception of cross-shafts 16 which carry sprockets 17 which act as guides for the chain or carrier 10. .Between the-tanks 13 and 15 the frame structure 2 is provided with a cross-shaft for the reception of an enlarged guide sprocket 18 around which the carrier chain is trained. This enlarged sprocket operates to remove the carrier completely going and return runs of the endless carrier travel in the same vertical plane and in the directions indicated by the arrows a and b in Figure 1.

Attached rigidly to certain of the links comprising the chain 10 and extending outwardly and perpendicularly therefrom at spaced longitudinal intervals are brackets 19. These brackets have been best illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 wherein it will be observed that the inner ends of said, brackets are riveted or otherwise secured as at 20 to the links of the chain 10, the brackets on one side of the chain being out of registration with the brackets on the-other side of thechain, as indicated in Figure 2, to more effectually permit of the process of electrolysis.

Each bracket is formed to include a vertically extending portion 21 where it is secured to the chain 10 and this vertically extending portion terminates in a laterally offset horizontally disposed portion 22 of suitable length. The outer end of the horizontally extending portion terminates in an outwardly and vertically directed part 23 and this part in turn terminates in a laterally and horizontally disposed terminating portion 24 which is substantially rectangular in crosssection.- Since the brackets 19 are rigidly connected with the chain or carrier 10, said brackets move in unison with and in efl'cct constitute a unitary part of the endless carrier.

The brackets serve as supports for a plurality of removable holders which carry the articles to be electro-plated. One of these holders has been illustrated in detail in Figures 5 and 6 and since the holders are all oflidentical construction a description of one will suffice for all. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, each holder comprises a hollow body portion 25 which is split longitudinally as at 26 so that the side walls of the body portion will be substantially resilient. The body portion thus provides a socket 27 for the reception of the. terminating portions 24 of the brackets, and the walls ofthe socket are shaped to accord substantially w th the conformation of the walls of the terminating portions 24 of said brackets. Due to the splitting as at 26 of the body portion the latter is rendered slightly resilient so that when engaged with one of the terminal portions 24 it exercises a resilient frictional action thereon so that accidental removal or displacement of the holder in connection with the supporting bracket is not apt to occur. slightly tapered to enhance the frictional action of the holder thereon.

Three of the side walls of the body por- The terminating portion 24 may be tion are provided with rows of relatively spaced clamping fingers, which are indicated by the numeral 28. Each of these fingers comprises a sheet metal strip bent to produce a fiat portion 29 which is screwed or otherwise secured by the elements 30 to the body portion 25. The fiat portion 29 of each finger 28 terminates in bowed walls 31 which, in turn, terminate at their outer ends in lips 32 which are spaced relatively a slight distance apart. The distance between these lips normally is less than that within the diameter of the shank portions 33 of the rivets or pins 34 which the machine is employed for electroplating, so that when the shanks of the pins are inserted between said lips the latter are forced apart so that the fingers, by reason of their formation, exert a frictional gripping action on said shanks to securely hold the latter in fixed but removable relation within the fingers. The shape of the clamping fingers is such as to permit of free circulation of the electrolytic solution around all of the walls of the rivets, pin or other similar article retained by the fingers and also to secure the proper electrical contact in an eflectual and eificient process of electrolysis.

In practice the holders, which in this instance are provided with 12 of the clamping fingers, are fitted with the rivets or pins in an operation separate from that of the machine. The attendant then applies these filled holders to the terminating portions 24 of the brackets 19 while the latter are passing from thesprocket 11 to the lower sprocket 17 arranged above the tank 13. Due to the formation of the brackets the holders together with the articles retained thereby are then submerged in the chromium or other solution contained in the tank 13 and are therein subjected to an electrolysis process wherein an adhering coating of chromium or other metal is applied to or deposited upon the exposed surfaces of the pins or rivets 34. This takes place during the continuous travel of the holders through the electrolytic bath. After passing through this bath the holders are removed therefrom by the passage of the chain 10 around the enlarged sprocket 18 and are then again submerged in the rinsing 0r neutralizing solution containedin the tank 15. During the passage of the carrier from the sprocket 17 arranged immediately over the tank 15 to the drive sprocket 9, the holders are removed from the carrier and the plated rivets or pins,.in a separate operation, are then removed from the holders. The latter, of course, may be refilled with the articles to be electro-plated and applied to the carrier at the other end of the machine. To control the electrolytic process, the tank13 is provided at its sides with a pair of longitudinally extending rods 35 through which the current employed in the process enters. Suspended from the rods 35 are lead bars 36 constituting anodes, and the electric current passes from the bars 36 through the electrolyte thence to the pins or holders and finally into the brackets 19. The horizontally extending portions 22 of said brackets immediately over the tank 13, rest upon bars 37 which constitute the outlets for the electrolysis current. Toinsure good electrical contact between the brackets and the bars 37 there is provided a pair of longitudinally extending fiber shoes 38. These shoes carry stems 39 which telescope within guide sleeves 40 depending from the frame structure 2, and coil springs 41 surround the stems 39 and the sleeves 40 to serve to force the shoes 38 downwardly into engagement with the upper sur faces of the bracket portions 22. This construction maintains the brackets in firm fricti onal engagement with the bars 37 during the sliding passage of the brackets thereover, producing an eificient electrical contact which has been found to be important in the effective coating of the rivets or pins by the electrolytic process and apparatus here described.

In view'of the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides eflicient apparatus by which articles, particularly those of small size and which are diificult to handle may be electro-plated with a coating of chromium or other metal in an economic and labor saving manner. The machine serves to relatively space the articles undergoing electro-plating and to so support the articles that the electro-plating action isuniformly exerted over all exposed surfaces thereof and to accomplish this with a degree of uniformity heretofore considered impossible in quantity or large production methods of electro-plating small devices.

What is claimed is:

1. A holder for electro-plating purposes, comprising a socketed body and formed with a plurality of angularly related exposed surfaces, and a plurality of resilient fingers arranged upon said surface and formed to frictionally receive in relatively spaced relationship articles adapted for electro-plating.

2. A holder for electro-plating machines comprising a body portion provided with angularly related exposed surfaces, and aplurality of resilient fingers mounted upon said surfaces and formed for the reception of articles adapted for electro-plating.

3. A holder for-electro-plating machines comprising a split resilient sleeve-like body, and parallel rows of longitudinally spaced re silient fingers projecting from said body for the frictional reception and relative spacing of articles adapted for electro-plating.

4. A holder for electro-plating machines comprising a split hollow body portion having angularly related exposed surfaces, and rows of longitudinally spacedarticle receiving resilient fingers mounted upon said surfaces.

5. In electro-plating apparatus, a frame, an endless carrier mounted for travel in con- 5 nection with guides carried by said frame, longitudinally spaced brackets secured to said carrier and provided with laterally ofiset portions, an electric conductor arranged for engagement with the lateral ofi'set portions of said brackets, and spring pressed shoes for forcing the lateral ofl'set portions of said brackets into firm contact with said conductors.

6. In electro-plating apparatus, a frame, an endless carrier mounted for travel in connection with guides carried by said frame, longitudinally spaced brackets secured to said carrier provided with lateral ofiset portions, electric conductors positioned below the lower run of said carrier and arranged for engagement with the under surface of the lateral offset portions of said brackets, shoes adapted for engagement with the upper surfaces of said lateral ofiset portions, and springs interposed between said frame and said shoes for forcing the laterally oifset portions of said brackets into firm engagement with said conductors.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHRISTIAN H. J ORDING. 

